Chapter 179: Pressing Step by Step

In the Zha'nan Marine Police compound, on the first floor of Building B's detention facility, after completing the visitation procedures, Cheng Gang and others followed two marine police officers upstairs for the meeting.

Though this place was called a detention facility, it was actually an interrogation institution and case-handling unit, not inherently equipped for detaining suspects, because the vast majority of Dragon City's judicial case personnel were held awaiting trial in unified detention departments.

However, different districts' judicial departments had different case-handling procedures. For example, the Marine Police side often needed to develop cases and lay lines when facing many cases - not just arresting criminals but also recovering smuggled goods. So if suspects were sent to detention facilities too early, information could easily leak, creating resistance to case investigation. Therefore, they had the right to temporarily detain arrested suspects in their own department.

This practice definitely had loopholes and could create problems of district judicial departments having excessive power, but this was just how Dragon City's environment was now - full of special circumstances and absurdity.

Cheng Gang followed the marine police into a very basic waiting room. They smoked cigarettes and waited a short while before the duty officer brought in a burly man.

Seeing Cheng Gang, the burly man paused slightly before immediately saying with a mocking smile: "Oh my, isn't this Mr. Xu's police dog? You're so busy - how do you have time to see me?"

Cheng Gang glanced at him and nodded to the marine police beside him. The latter understood and left with his keys.

The burly man sat down in the chair wearing handcuffs, his posture lazy, looking completely relaxed. But from the multiple external injuries visible on his skin, he didn't seem to be doing too well here.

Cheng Gang looked down at him: "Old Zhang, you must have heard about things outside - it wasn't that I betrayed Brother Zuo, it's that he went too far, he killed Old Gu together with the Yu family people!"

The burly man looked at him coldly: "You say he killed him, so he killed him? I say I have something going on with your mother - does that mean I should be your father?"

Hearing this, Cheng Gang didn't get angry: "Old Zhang, Wei Xiangzuo has already run, he's not taking care of anyone! What reason do you have to hold out for him here?! Xu Hu is dealing with you - he just needs to provide some materials to the Marine Police and you'll get over twenty years! Is it worth it?"

"Hehe, what exactly do you want to say?"

"I won't beat around the bush with you - Xu Hu wants to take over our side's storefronts and businesses, buying them out," Cheng Gang said raising his eyebrows. "Yesterday Gu Baishun went to talk with Old You, but he didn't agree, said his big brother needed to decide, but his big brother Tattooed Dragon has already run and can't be found."

"You want to ask me where Tattooed Dragon is?" the burly man asked.

"Yes, you tell me where he is, then give up the several shops in your hands too - I guarantee you can get out next week," Cheng Gang said softly. "Your brother-in-law is also in the Marine Police - with him there and me putting in a word for you, Xu Hu won't go all out to kill."

The burly man paused slightly, moving his lips and beckoning with his hand: "Come here, read my lips!"

Cheng Gang furrowed his brows.

"Fuck your mother!!! You ungrateful bastard! If not for Old Wei helping you repay your debt back then, they would have chopped off both your hands to feed to dogs!" the burly man cursed with extremely high quality. "Don't think I don't know anything in here - Little Xuan died by your hands! Remember this - if Old Wei can catch his breath and return to Dragon City, he'll definitely deal with you first!"

Cheng Gang looked at him with a red face, speechless.

"Ptui!!"

The burly man spat on Cheng Gang: "Get lost! Disappear! Otherwise I'll jump up and bite your throat open!!"

Cheng Gang clenched his fists and after several seconds of silence, took out tissue to wipe the spit from his body: "Your brother-in-law can keep you from dying, but he can't control how many years you're sentenced to, right?! Hehe, keep shouting - I'll watch you rot in prison from outside!"

With that, Cheng Gang turned and walked out with a dark face.

About ten seconds later, two marine police officers entered the room but didn't beat the burly man, only saying softly to him: "Are you stupid?! He came in and you still shout at him? He's Xu Hu's favored person now!"

"I definitely won't end well, but remember my words - he'll definitely die more miserably than me," the burly man cursed looking sideways before being led away in handcuffs.

That night, Cheng Gang met five or six acquaintances in the Marine Police. Some had been completely subdued and expressed willingness to cooperate with Xu Hu, but they didn't know where the one called Tattooed Dragon was hiding. Others were like the burly man - loyal to Old Wei in their hearts, refusing to betray anyone even after being dealt with.

......

Around 3 AM.

A car drove into Xinaluo and stopped in front of Old Wei's residence. Little Feng and Su Tianyu also walked out to greet them.

Three men got out of the car, all with varying degrees of injuries. When they saw Wei Xiangzuo in person, their eyes reddened with emotion.

"Big Brother, home... home is finished!" the leader said with a trembling voice.

Wei Xiangzuo looked at him and replied softly: "Come, let's talk inside!"

Everyone walked in together. Little Feng personally went to the kitchen to cook some noodles for the three, while Wei Xiangzuo smoked and talked with them in the living room.

These three were brothers who had reacted quickly the night Wei Xiangzuo got in trouble. Feeling something was wrong, they had fled from the port, been intercepted by Longkou people on the way, and so all had some injuries.

At the dining table, the leader said softly: "Don't know where Tattooed Dragon went! Old Zhang, Hong Jun and others were all taken to the Marine Police... now there's no one in charge at home. Last night I called Old Ding at Second Port - he said Xu Hu is collecting storefronts now, it was Cheng Gang's suggestion. They found Tattooed Dragon's brother Old You to talk, but Old You didn't agree."

Wei Xiangzuo silently poured him a cup of water.

"Big Brother... Little Hai is dead, stabbed over ten times and thrown in Sea Swallow Pit," another person added with a trembling voice.

Beside them, Su Tianyu listened without interjecting.

Silence, after a brief silence, Little Feng brought the cooked noodles to the table.

Wei Xiangzuo smoked while looking at everyone and said: "...Brothers, I've brought trouble to you!"

"Big Brother, don't say that - if we brothers hadn't supported you, you wouldn't have fought with Xu Hu - we... we all understand this in our hearts," the leader wiped his eyes and replied hoarsely. "...But now we've all run away, the brothers left at home have no confidence - if we don't go back... people will completely scatter."

"Going back - you don't need to go back," Wei Xiangzuo patted his shoulder. "Rest well first - I know what to do about things at home!"

"Ah."

The three nodded.

"Eat!"

Wei Xiangzuo called out, actively pushing the noodle bowls to them.

In the dim room light, the three men ate their noodles silently while Wei Xiangzuo stood up and walked outside, standing in the doorway to smoke.

Su Tianyu followed him out and said softly: "Since things have gotten to this point, you need to stay even calmer."

Wei Xiangzuo looked at him: "I know what I'm doing!"

"I have people investigating Xu Hu's new supply channels - give me some time, I can protect your brothers," Su Tianyu added.

"Mm," Wei Xiangzuo nodded.

The two stood outside getting some air before Su Tianyu turned back to rest.

Late at night, the three men stayed with Little Feng in the left room, while Wei Xiangzuo sat alone in the living room drinking tea for a while before suddenly picking up his phone and sending a text message.

Early the next morning, at daybreak.

After getting up, Su Tianyu habitually picked up his phone to look and found an unread message.

Opening it, he saw it was from Wei Xiangzuo, the content very simple: "I can't wait anymore, going back first, you stay here to take care of my brothers and continue laying out the remaining matters!"

Seeing this message, Su Tianyu sat up with a start: "Damn it, this psycho!!"

Wei Xiangzuo had left - without taking Little Feng or the three brothers who had escaped, just disappeared alone.